A Clean Bill of Health
A Preseason Look
Tennis just keeps on rocking. Always the front-runners when Regionals roll around, expected deep runs at the individual tournament in Pueblo, and with the new Team Championship playoff, its triple the fun for those who follow closely the Mustang netters. Have expectations lessened as tennis ramps up this week and builds to a championship crescendo come October? Nope. Not a bit. The Mullen boys’ tennis team is expected to be in the thick of things, as always, and the players know in their hearts that to be true and are working to make it a reality. That is why the turnout for summer OTAs was so well attended throughout June and July. The hunger is there. That is part of the battle. The other part is believing you are good enough. This writer doubts these Mustangs lack any confidence that their season will end in any way but ultimate accomplishment with the hardware to prove it.
Coach Lepley senses it as well. It is only fitting, he believes, that with the new courts coming, the excitement for this team by the Mustang faithful will add greatly to the team’s motivation and will pump renewed excitement into the lower levels as well. That excitement will beget more fervor attracting tennis players to want to be a part of a top-notch program. It makes sense. If you build it, they will come, so-to-speak. The test results are back, and the health of the program looks very promising.
Well, if confidence is that high within the ranks of the players and coaches, what is fueling that sureness? Let’s break it down. To begin with, when the head man has a hard time curbing his enthusiasm, one has to believe something is there. When asked to assess the team, Coach went straight to the backbone of the team’s makeup. “The team is very deep this year with a lot of scrappy doubles players that are tough competitors.” Having a tough backbone is good, but a team needs more in order to make a deep run in any championship race. Coach Lepley could not agree more. A team must have heart, and Coach Lepley and his staff are depending greatly on their three singles players, all seniors, and the leadership they will bring. “Standouts. Great players who will all go far this year. We are relying on their leadership on and off the court.” Who are these blood-pumping players who have charge of the team’s pulse? None other than Aiden Guthrie, Nick Ruegsegger, and Josh Wanja - seniors who have fought in the fray and know what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Medically speaking… the skeletal system boasts a solid backbone. The EKG indicates the heart is strong. Looks like a clean bill of health for this tennis team. Boys, it’s time to take it to the court.
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